


The Risks We Took

by PeachKniight



Series: Kysterion-B & Bakeries [3]
Category: South Park
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gender-Fluid Wendy Testaburger, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Idiots in Love, Kinda, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychic Kyle Broflovski, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, Sleep Paralysis, Trans Kyle Broflovski, Trans Male Character, shadow demons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27032146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachKniight/pseuds/PeachKniight
Summary: The man flipped through the most recent pictures on his camera. Two hooded, dark-clad figures, easily recognizable as the citys most well-known vigilantes, holding each other intimately. He grinned, mind instantly going over the names of people who would paydamngood money for the images.“Fuckin’score.”After someone releases images of their vigilante personas during an intimate moment, Kyle and Kenny are left scrambling to fix the mess. Protecting themselves, each other, and their identities proves to be much harder than they had anticipated; especially now that their enemies know how much they really care about each other. Especially now, when Kyles powers were acting up, causing him to see, hear, andfeelthings that may not even be there. Especially now, when Kenny was still reeling from the near-loss of his partner.Yeah, this situation really fucking sucked.
Relationships: Bebe Stevens/Wendy Testaburger, Clyde Donovan/Leopold "Butters" Stotch, Craig Tucker/Tweek Tweak, Ike Broflovski/Firkle Smith, Kyle Broflovski/Kenny McCormick, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Token Black/Nichole Daniels
Series: Kysterion-B & Bakeries [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968634
Comments: 14
Kudos: 14





	1. Near-Loss and Snapshots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ty once again to [JuniperTrees](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuniperTrees/pseuds/JuniperTrees) for being my K2 bestie and helping me through this! Wouldn't be here without you, girl <3

“Kite!” A gloved hand shot out, grabbing the wrist of his fellow vigilante and partner. Human Kite dangled dangerously over the edge of the building, his kite laying mangled beyond recognition on the pavement below.  
“Fuck, _fuck_!” Kite hissed at the strain on his injured arm, face twisting in pain. His breathing stuttered as he reached his other hand up, gripping Mysterions wrist. Mysterion, using both hands now, carefully pulled his partner up over the edge, wrapping his arms around his waist and yanking him back.  
“Are you okay?” He studied Kites face, eyes wide with panic. Kite shuddered, leaning heavily against his partner and resting his head atop his shoulder.  
“‘m okay, I th’nk…” He muttered, eyes slipping shut. His head was pounding, his ears were ringing, and his arm felt like it was on fire, but he was alive, at least.  
He couldn’t say the same for the men who attacked them, though.

The fight was kind of a blur, toward the end. He could remember being shoved off the building, remember hearing the _screams_ , but he couldn’t remember what had caused them; just a sudden flood of darkness falling over everything. It was dark, then it was cold, then it was just… silent. He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear; but then all at once Kennys face flooded his vision and his voice filled his ears.  
What happened-?  
Any attempt to bring up the memory just resulted in shadows flooding his mind. His body went cold, a sudden shiver coming over him. He felt like he was gonna faint if he stood any longer.  
“Can we, um. Sit down? ‘m dizzy.”  
“Right, yeah, of course-”  
He led him over to an empty, clear spot and carefully helped him settle on the roof, watching for any signs of discomfort. Kneeling down next to Kite, he took hold of his arm and looked it over, expression unreadable. Taking in deep breaths, Kite attempted to clear his head.  
“Hey, Ken? What the fuck happened?” He questioned, attempting to look over his shoulder. Mysterion stopped him, though, using his free hand to turn his head back.  
“Don’t look.”  
“But-”  
“Trust me.” 

Kite watched, brows knit together, as Mysterion hid his face in the shadows of his hood. He grew silent while he patched Kite up, the latter wincing when the wound was wiped down with disinfectant and then wrapped tightly with gauze.  
“Alright. That should work ‘til we get home. Can you move it?” A few minor tests later confirmed that yes, he could, though only a small bit and with a decent amount of pain. He slumped his shoulders, leaning against his partner once more.  
“Well, _that_ certainly was a fuckin’ hellish fight. Who knew five bitches woulda got the drop on us like that?” He attempted a grin, though he knew it lacked the usual snark he would normally exude. That didn’t seem to bother Mysterion too much though, because he let out a loud snort.  
“Leave it t’you to make light of nearly dyin’, Ky.” He had dropped the fake voice already, but now he pulled back the hood as well; just enough so that Kite could see his smile and his soft eyes.  
“Granted, you’re safe, but…” The smile fell, his eyes dropping to the ground. 

Well, that wouldn’t do.

“Baby, hey.” He used his good arm to nudge his partner, jostling him out of his thoughts.  
“Yeah?”  
“I’m okay.”  
“I know, I just-”  
“Ken, babe, I’m _okay_. It was a close call, I know, but we’re both okay. That’s what matters, remember?” He cupped Mysterions cheek, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips. Mysterion let out a shaky breath, resting his forehead against Kites.  
“You… yeah, you’re right. You usually are.” He managed to crack a grin, gently brushing the back of his knuckles down Kites cheek.  
“Comes with the territory, sweetheart. You try growing up a Broflovski and not bein’ right about everythin’.” He wiggled his eyebrows, earning a laugh from Mysterion. Score.  
“Ya got me there.”  
Silence fell over the two after that, the comfortable type that came with the clear sky and gentle breeze. Wrapped up in each other, they could temporarily forget the past fight, the aggression, the almost-loss, the difficulties and possibilities that came to them each night, each time they came out here to fight for the lives and rights of people who would celebrate the loss of the very vigilantes who kept them safe. They could just sit, feel a little normal, enjoy the companionship and warmth of each other. They could feel okay, just for now, just for a moment.  
It was all they needed, all they wanted.

Unfortunately, staying there all night wasn’t an option. The fighting was sure to have caused some noise, and noise usually brought police. The sound of sirens in the distance was their cue to get the hell out of there, as it always was.  
“We should-”  
“I’m on it.”  
Mysterion stood, helping Kite up and pulling his hood back over his face.  
“Can you walk?”  
“Yeah, but my kite’s gone, so gettin’ down might be a problem.”  
“... Well, we could do _the thing_.”  
“No.”  
“But-”  
“Kenneth I swear on my mas damn life.”  
“There’s really not another option.”  
“Why don’t we just use the door?!”  
“This building is occupied.”  
“So?”  
“We’ll be seen.”  
“We could change.”  
“No time, honeybun.”  
“Ughhh.”

Kite pinched the bridge of his nose, took in a deep breath, then sighed.  
“Fine. Fine.”  
“Fuck yeah.” Mysterion grinned, bumping his hip into Kites. “Remember to hold on tight, babe.”  
“Shuddup, ya fuckin’ cabbage.” Kite shook his head, pouting while his partner easily swept him up in his arms, lifting him up bridal style. He hooked his good arm around his neck, tucking the bandaged one against his chest to keep it from being jostled too badly.  
“Comfy?”  
“Extremely.”  
They shared a look, eyes locked on each other. The sirens grew louder, the flashing lights in the distance catching their attention once more. Mysterion took a few steps back to get a running start, then leapt off the building to the one below. The sudden drop in gravity was startling, making Kite grip on tighter, but Mysterion just grinned and kept the momentum going - moving across and between buildings without pause. 

Once they were a safe distance away, he leapt to the nearest fire-escape, hopping down to the alley below. He set Kite down, holding him steady while he got his bearings.  
“Y’good?”  
“I’m alright. Li’l dizzy, but alive.” He leaned back against the building behind him, still cradling his arm against his chest. Mysterion nodded, stepping toward the street to scan for witnesses.  
“I think we’re good to change here. Streets are quiet.” He pulled the small pack out from under his cloak, tossing it to Kite. “You change first, I’ll keep watch.”  
“Gotcha.”  
The clothes were simple, of course, to ensure they fit in the small bag; the thinnest t-shirts and pants they could find. The shirts were practically see-through and the pants were made of a strange fabric that reminded Kyle of the sheets his mother bought, but they worked for their purpose.

Kite attempted to change quickly, but found it difficult to do so with his injury. He winced when he peeled the fabric away, the now-dried blood that soaked the fabric adding to the problem.  
“Hate to call you away from guard-duty, cupcake, but I think I’m gonna need some help over here.”  
“You askin’ me to undress you in a public alley, Ky? I’m shocked, honestly.”  
“Swear to god, Myst-”  
He snorted, heading back into the alley to assist Kite. It took a bit of finagling, but soon enough they were both clad in their civilian clothes, wrapping the suits up in Kennys cloak and tying it off to semi-resemble a bag. Kenny slung it over his shoulder, taking Kyles hand in his own and lacing their fingers together.

Slipping out into the streets, they made their way home. The late hour made it easy to get around without being seen; few, if any, people were out, and even with street lights it was still dark enough that they felt safe keeping to the sidewalks. Kenny swung their hands back and forth between the two of them, humming quietly to himself. It was strange how calm the moment felt despite the nights events. Kyle almost felt as though he were going crazy, the only thing keeping him tethered to the moment being the warmth of Kennys hand in his. It certainly didn’t help that he was still lightheaded, or that he couldn’t for the life of him remember what had happened to the men they were fighting. What did Kenny _do_ to them?

“Hey, Ken?”  
“Yeah, babe?”  
“What… exactly did you do to those men?”  
“Ky…”  
“No, I’m serious, Ken. You know my abilities usually let me remember fuckin’ _everything_ , but I can’t remember what the hell you did to those guys. I try and everything goes fuckin’ _dark_ , like some shadow just falls over my mind. What happened when I was shoved off the building, Kenny? Why are you so nervous about tellin’ me what you did?”  
“Kyle, I swear one day I’ll tell you, alright? Just… For now, just trust me. Please.”  
They came to a stop, Kyle watching Kenny closely. His shoulders were hunched, but his eyes were locked firmly on Kyles. He found that it was hard not to trust him, despite everything. He was almost tempted to double-check, though, to use his powers to make absolutely sure that Kenny was being honest with him.  
But he just couldn’t bring himself to do so.  
He never used his powers on Kenny like that. He wasn’t going to start now.

“Alright. Okay. I’m trustin’ you here, Ken. But I want you to promise that you’re not fuckin’ with me. That you’re not fuckin’ with my mind somehow.”  
“God, of course I’m not, Ky.” His shoulders fell, slumping now. “You know I would never do that to you. I promise.”  
Kyle let out a sigh, squeezing Kennys hand. He dropped his gaze down, to where they were linked, gnawing on his bottom lip. Finally, he nodded.  
“Okay. Okay, I believe you.” He could feel Kenny relax at his words, like some weight had suddenly been dropped from his shoulders.  
“Just make sure you tell me before we’re all old and gray or some shit, alright? The last thing I want is to literally be on my damn deathbed when I finally find out how you fucked up five guys in a manner of _seconds_.” That earned a pleasant laugh from Kenny, the kind that made Kyle smile against his own will.  
“I think I can manage that, but I can’t make any guarantees. Maybe throw in an occasional reminder, let’s say every, I dunno, five years or so? If you start findin’ gray hair, _definitely_ let me know, and move it to every three years.”  
“That’s pretty specific, y’know.”  
“What, the years or the gray hair?”  
“Both, I think.”  
“Hm. You’re right. Hit me up whenever you think of it, then.”  
“So, what, every day?”  
“Ohhhh. Maybe every other thought, in that case. Forgot you were a curious man.”  
Kyle laughed, tugging Kenny forward again.  
“Bullshit you forgot. You can’t date a man for nine years and forget how curious they are, babe.”  
“I absolutely can. My brain is usually focused on your more apparent features.”  
“Such as?”  
“Your sweet ass, for one.”  
“Is that all I am to you, Kenneth? A sweet ass?”  
“And a _lovely_ face, as well as a damn fine brain, baby.”  
“You flatter me, darlin’.”  
“‘Tis my duty, honey.”  
“Hm.”

Their apartment building came into view, and silence fell over the lovers once more. Kennys eyes kept slipping back to Kyle, a fond look on his face, though Kyle could feel the worry coming off of him in waves. Every time he turned to look at him, purple seemed to flow at his edges, eating away at the usual orange and yellow of his aura.  
What the hell was going on?  
Kyle didn’t have much more time to think on the matter, as they finally made it to their home and Kenny held the door open for him.  
“After you, my love.” He grinned, tooth-gap adding to the goofy demeanor.  
“Why thank you, my good sir.” Kyle teased back, slipping into the building. They linked hands once more when they were inside, Kenny taking the lead and tugging Kyle up the stairs.

It was nice to be home, Kyle thought, his weariness hitting him all at once. Being a vigilante was exhausting, and the use of his powers always left him feeling drained. When their door was in his view, he found himself leaning heavily on Kenny, who supported him without complaint.  
“Tired?”  
“Extremely.”  
“Want me to carry you again?”  
“Ugh, kinda. Walkin’ to bed sounds fuckin’ exhaustin’ right now.”  
Kenny slipped his hand out of Kyles, instead wrapping his arm around his midsection to offer extra support. It made it harder to unlock the door, but neither of them said a word about the matter; moving into the apartment the moment it was open. 

Kenny carefully helped Kyle sit down once they were inside, grabbing the medkit and making quick work of removing the old bandage so he could get a proper glance at the injury. He looked it over, gave a short nod, cleaned it up properly, and rebandaged it with the ease of a man who’s done this at least weekly for the last four years.  
It probably helped that that was exactly the case.

Wound fixed up, the two finally made their way to their room, yanking off their clothes and flopping down on their bed in near-perfect unison. Just like they did every night, they wrapped themselves around each other; Kennys head resting on Kyles shoulder, Kyles fingers running through his hair, their legs a tangled mess beneath the sheets. Softly mumbled ‘I love you’s passed between the two as they drifted off, the worries of the day finally disappearing whilst they fell into their dreams.

Back at the crime scene, a safe distance away from the police cars and flashing lights, a man flipped through the most recent pictures on his camera. Two hooded, dark-clad figures, easily recognizable as the citys most well-known vigilantes, holding each other intimately. He grinned, mind instantly going over the names of people who would pay _damn_ good money for the images.  
“Fuckin’ _score_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stayed up until 4am writing this and let me tell you, best worst mistake I've ever made. It was fun but also I'm exhausted. What are summaries? Don't know her.  
> This is the first chapter in my first ever multi-chaptered fic and I'm really not sure how writing this is gonna go, but I hope you stick around to see where we end up <3 I've got a lot of thoughts and a lot of plans, and it's gonna be a wild ride.


	2. Shadows & Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He tried to force his breathing to slow, to calm himself down, but found it difficult. The panic was eating away at him, actions erratic and thoughts jumbled. He forced in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 
> 
> _Okay, you know what this is. You’ve dealt with it before. It's fine. Just breathe._
> 
> In which Kyle experiences his childhood again, and five friends share breakfast and bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for nightmares and sleep paralysis

**Night One**

_I can't move._

The thought terrified him, a jolt of fear shooting down his spine. His eyes darted around the room, heart pounding, breathing rapid.

_Why can't I move?_

He tried to force his breathing to slow, to calm himself down, but found it difficult. The panic was eating away at him, actions erratic and thoughts jumbled. He forced in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 

_Okay, you know what this is. You’ve dealt with it before. It's fine. Just breathe._

In through his nose, out through his mouth. Again. And again. And again. He kept at it, slowly calming his panicked brain. He focused his attention on a single finger, attempting to get it to move. If he could just do that-

Something moved in the corner of his vision and he panicked again, breathing stopping altogether.

_No. No no no no nononononostop stop it stop please go away go away goawaygoaway-_

The shadow figure stared, lurking just out of his direct line of sight. He could feel its gaze, knew it was there - just sitting and waiting. Waiting for him.

For him…

For him to what?

What did it want?

Why couldn't he remember?

A creak snapped him back to attention, the sound echoing through the room. His eyes darted back to the creature, who was slowly creeping toward the bed.

_No._

It stopped.

 _Stay away._ **_Stay the hell away from us._**

It hissed in response, snapping its jaws at him. Kyle ignored the threat, honing in on a single thought.

_Go away._

And it did.

It crept back into the shadowy corner, disappearing from his view entirely. He froze for a second, worried it would just attack from his blind spot; but then the weight was lifted off his chest and he could breathe again.

He shot upright, breathing heavily, checking each corner of the room. Upon finding nothing, he dropped back down, curling in on himself under the blankets.

"Mm, you alright…?" Kenny mumbled, wrapping an arm around Kyles waist and snuggling in close.

"Just had a bad dream, babe."

"W'nna talk about it?"

"No, I'm alright. Go back to sleep, Ken."

"If you're sure…" 

A soft snore just a moment later told him Kenny was already back in his dreams, his breath gently brushing the back of his neck. Kyle closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing and the feeling of Kennys arms around him.

_It’s okay. You’ve dealt with this before. You can fight it off._

Listening to the steady sound of Kenny snoring, he slowly drifted off.

**-**

**Night Two**

**"He's mine."** The guttural voice snarled at him, a creature with no true form threatening him from a place he could not go.

 _"No."_ He stood firm, fists clenched at his sides. _"You can't have him."_

The sound he heard could hardly be called a laugh, though he's sure that's what it was. It rang through the room like claws on a chalkboard, piercing and painful to the human mind.

**"What makes you think you have any power over me, child? Do you believe you can stop what's already happened? The boy belongs to me. I'm simply here to take back what I own."**

Kyle grit his teeth, anger surging through him. He couldn't let this happen. Kenny didn't deserve this. 

_"I won't let you touch him. As long as I'm here, I'll push you back. You won't get anywhere near him. Go. Away."_

With those words, the creature howled; an anguished, pained sound slicing through the air. Whatever it may have said was indecipherable, nothing more than split and gutted sounds. Kyle pushed the beast back, his mind screaming at him to _stop, it's too much, it hurts._ He kept going, pushing further and further until it was gone, lost in whatever plane of existence was meant for beings like himself.

He collapsed, mind numb and head aching.

**-**

"Baaaaabe, get up!" The warmth of the blanket was ripped from his body, making Kyle hiss at the sudden cold and curl in on himself.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. Breakfast is ready!" Kenny grabbed him by his good arm, pulling him until he was forced into a sitting position. Kyle scowled at the sudden change, rubbing at his eyes with his palms.

"What fuckin' time is it?" He grumbled, slumping forward.

"You-slept-through-your-alarm-twice o'clock, roughly. You sleep okay?" Kyle shook his head. A warm hand was placed on his forehead, and he leaned into the touch, eyes slipping shut again. He heard Kenny hum softly, evidently not too concerned with what he found.

"Well, you don't have a fever. But if you're not feelin' well, maybe you should stay home, just in case." He brushed a strand of hair back, smooching his forehead. Kyle shook his head, looking up at Kenny and brushing their noses together.

“No, I feel fine. ‘Sides, I don’t like missin’ work, you know that.” He pecked Kenny on the lips, patting him on the cheek and turning to get off the bed. Kenny caught him around the waist, pulling him back into his lap.

“C’mere, we can have a quick snuggle before work.” He grinned, nuzzling his face in Kyles neck. Kyle laughed, reaching a hand back to flick Kennys forehead.

“What, ya don’t wanna eat before you leave? Can’t do your work on an empty stomach, y’know.”  
“Mm, good point. How ‘bout we snuggle and eat at the same time?”  
“... Is that a euphemism?”

“Could be.” He wiggled his eyebrows, sticking his tongue out. Kyle swatted at his arm, shaking his head.

“Not this morning, baby. Let’s go eat, otherwise we’ll be scarfing it down like dogs.”  
“Bold of you to assume I won’t do that anyway.”  
“... Alright.”

They made their way into the kitchen, hands linked, Kyle pulling Kenny after him. Kenny had just pulled the plates out of the cabinet when the front door swung open, cracking loudly into the wall behind it.

“Aye, don’t bust a hole in the wall, ya fuckin’ dicks!” Kyle swung around, narrowing his eyes at the intruders. Stan, at least, had the decency to look a little sheepish, but Bebe and Wendy barely seemed to notice the reaction.

“We have a problem.” Wendy said sternly, storming forward and slapping a paper onto the counter next to him. He looked down at it, eyebrows flying up into his hairline.

“Uh, whaddaya mean…?” 

“Read it.” Bebe crossed her arms, leaning on the kitchen island. He sighed, picking up the paper and scanning over the front. Slowly, his expression shifted from annoyed to horrified, eyes widening.

“Babe…?” Kenny asked softly, reaching out to touch Kyles arm. Kyle held out the paper, eyes locked firmly on the floor.

Not a moment later and Kenny was slamming the paper back onto the counter, anger burning in his eyes.

“‘Vigilante sweethearts’?! What the hell are they thinkin’, revealing shit like that to the public?! They’re puttin’ us in danger, telling everyone who hates us what our weaknesses are!”

“Ken, sweetie…” Kyle put a hand on the small of his back, rubbing soothing circles. Kenny was tense, but relaxed a small bit under Kyles touch. He squeezed his eyes shut, slumping onto the counter. “I can’t… _fucking_ … believe this shit.” He spoke through clenched teeth. 

“It’s, uh, pretty fucked.” Stan nodded, arms crossed over his chest, shifting his weight from one foot to the other..  
“Are you kidding me? It’s _super_ fucked!” Wendy shouted, fists clenched at their sides. “They can’t just get away with this! We have to do _something!_ ”  
“Hey, hon, you’re gonna hurt yourself.” Bebe soothed, placing a hand on Wendys shoulder. They loosened their hands a small bit, letting out a shaky breath.

“Yeah. Shit, sorry, babe.” They leaned against Bebe, still frowning. “It’s just such a mess! It’s not like they aren’t aware that this information could cause serious harm. What the hell were they _thinking?_ ”  
“They weren’t, apparently.” Stan added, turning his attention to Kyle and Kenny. “What are you guys gonna do? Going out might be too dangerous, for a while at least.”  
“We can’t just… _not_ do our jobs, Stan. Hidin’ out would just prove that this shit scared us. That’s what they _want_.” Kyle drummed his fingers on the countertop, thinking it over. “This… We’ll just have to keep doin’ what we have been. Go out, do our patrols, fuck up bitches who need to be fucked up. Business as usual. If someone tries somethin’... we kick their asses. As always. Show no weakness, remember?” He looked over at Kenny, who was staring at the counter, deep in thought. 

“Ken?”

“What? Oh, yeah. No, you’re right.” He took Kyles hand, lifting it to his lips. “We kick ass, fuck ‘em up, show no weakness. As always.”

“Wow.” Bebe snorted, setting her hands on her hips and grinning. “You two really got it all figured out, huh? I’m jealous.” She sighed, flicking her hair back behind her shoulder. “I mean, I’m pretty badass, don’t get me wrong, but I wish I was even half as confident as you sound right now, Kyley.” 

Kyle laughed, pulling his hand back from Kenny and kissing his cheek.  
“It helps to have someone even more confident behind me.”  
“Oh come on, who could be more confident than my sweet babe right here?” She bumped her hip into Wendys, sticking her tongue out at them.  
“Dudes, all this love is making me queasy. Knock it off before I puke.” Stan huffed, waltzing into the kitchen and leaning down to examine the food. “What is this?”  
“Uh, breakfast hash. Made using leftovers from last night. We have plenty if you guys wanna stay for breakfast, but I gotta get to work soon.” Kenny sounded strangely distant to Kyle, but he was already moving before he could say anything.

Huh.

They would have to talk about this, later. When they were alone.

“I’m _starving!_ ” Bebe cried, rushing over to the food. “Seriously, Kenny, your food is always so good. How do you do it!?”  
“Ah ah, it’s my li’l secret.” He winked, sticking out his tongue. Bebe pouted, and Kyle patted her back.  
“Seriously, he won’t even tell _me._ Says he prefers me watchin’ over helpin’.”  
They laughed, handing out servings and sitting wherever they could manage. The terrifying news was forgotten, for a moment, in place of food and friendly conversation.

**-**

**Night Three**

He wasn’t asleep.

He had never even gotten in bed. He sat down to watch a movie with Kenny, curled up into each other on their shitty couch and buried in blankets. The movie was shit, and they spent most of it just making out. Kenny got up to piss, and…

Now?

Now he was frozen, barely able to blink. A shadow was leaning over him, no discernible form he could make out. Still, he could feel it breathing on him; hot, rotten breath that sent a shiver down his spine. It watched him, eyes everywhere and nowhere, unblinking.  
  
_No. Go away. You aren’t welcome here._ _  
_ _  
_ It didn’t care. It stayed, right where it was, watching. Kyles breath stuttered, panic sinking in. He couldn’t push it away; his mind was fuzzy, his thoughts disappearing as quickly as they appeared. A flush was heard, a light flicking off, and the creatures attention turned toward the hallway. It growled, low and threatening.

_Nonononono go away get away stay away from him don’t touch him please-_

He tried to force his mind to calm, tried to force some comprehensible thought forward. He needed it to _go,_ to _leave._ Kennys footsteps neared the living room, the creature sitting up and slowly moving toward the hallway. Kyle could have screamed, wished he could yell out and tell Kenny to get the _fuck_ out of there.

**_Go. Away._**

Something flashed. Bright blue shot through the room, lighting it up and then dimming all at once. He sat up, flexing his fingers. 

Holy shit.

 _Holy shit._

What was that?

What-

Where did it go?

He turned, staring at the spot the shadow had been lurking. It wasn’t there. 

It was gone.

He did it.

How the fuck-

“Ky? Baby, are you okay?” Kenny sat down next to him, startling him out of his thoughts. Kyle turned toward him, instantly throwing his arms around his shoulders - ignoring the burning pain in his bad arm - and buried his face in his neck.

“Holy fuck. Holy fuck. What just- did you see that?”

“See what…? Kyle, baby, are you okay?”  
“I’m fine! I just- It- There was… you didn’t see the flash?”  
“Flash?” Kenny frowned, pulling Kyle back and placing his hand on his forehead. “Jesus, Ky, you’re burning up! Fuck, okay, you’re staying home tomorrow. I’m gonna call your work and tell ‘em-”  
“Christ, Kenny, seriously! I’m f- I’m…” A dizzy spell ran over him, making him sway in place. His limbs suddenly felt too heavy, his whole body too hot and too cold at the same time. He dropped his head onto Kennys chest, shivering. “I’m… fine…” He mumbled, mind going numb.  
“Kyle?” Kennys voice was far away, swimming somewhere else in the lake Kyle was drifting in. Darkness flowed over him in waves, distorting the world around him.  
His eyes slipped shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is UP bbs sorry the formatting might be different?? I'm posting from mobile and I'm not used to it.  
> we're setting shit up for some future funtimes 👀  
> also!!! I'm gonna try to post a new chapter every friday-saturday or so BUT I might post a one shot instead on occasion. no idea. we'll figure it out.


	3. Sickness & Childhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyle rubbed at his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. When he turned to look at Kenny, he was startled to see that he looked... _horrified._  
>  “Geez, babe, I know it’s kinda scary, but-”  
> “Kyley, baby, sweetie, you are literally seeing shadow demons. Yes, I’m a bit fuckin’ scared.”
> 
> In which Kyle tells Kenny about his childhood, and Kenny worries a lot.

Kyle woke up to a cool cloth being pressed to his face. He panicked at first, feeling _far too cold already,_ but all at once he realized the coolness felt nice, and he was actually, in fact, burning up.  
“Ugh.” He groaned, aches and pains all over coming to life now that he was awake. He attempted to roll onto his side, trying to ease the discomfort, but a gentle hand stopped him.  
“Hey, babe, you probably don’t wanna do that.” Kennys voice was oh so soft, but the throbbing in his skull made it somehow feel like cymbals clashing directly into his ears. He, much to his embarrassment, whined in response.  
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” Kenny tried to reassure him, removing the cloth only to replace it again a moment later, cooler. Kyle took a few shaky breaths, forcing himself to relax and lay back.

It didn’t really work, but he tried.

“Okay, honey, seriously. You’re sick, you need to rest.” He spoke softly, but his tone was serious, worry laced around each word. He set the cloth aside now, brushing strands of damp hair back from Kyles forehead. Kyle slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the feeling.  
The room was dim, thankfully. The curtains were pulled shut and the only light came from the hallway, the bedroom door opened just a crack. When his vision had adjusted, he turned to look at Kenny.

The poor guy was clearly worried out of his wits. His brow was furrowed, his mouth turned down in a frown. His lips were chapped and he’d chewed on the bottom one until it bled, something he only did when he was anxious. His hair, which he’d actually been caring for and brushing lately, was a damn _mess._ Kyle felt a rock form in the pits of his stomach, guilt quickly gripping him.  
“Shit, Ken.” He mumbled, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek. “You look like a fuckin’ wreck.”  
Kenny blinked at the statement, taken aback. But then he laughed, a sound that, despite the headache it brought, made Kyle smile. 

“Oh, you have _no_ idea how you look right now, honeybun. You’re always gorgeous to me, but even I can’t deny how damn bad you look right now.” He placed his hand over top of Kyles, closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath. “You really fuckin’ scared me, y’know.” The smile fell, the worry coming back full-force. “I mean, shit, you passed out in my arms after asking about some flash, and then you got sick out of nowhere. You’ve been in and out of consciousness for two days now, Ky. Every time you woke up you’d panic and go on about some shadows or some shit, then you’d just pass out again. You never seemed to remember the next time you woke up.” His voice was thick with unshed tears, breath unsteady.  
Kyle sat up, ignoring every part of his body that told him to _absolutely not do that_ , and threw his arms around Kenny. He buried his face in his partners shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut against his own tears. 

“Fuck, Ken, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t-” He held on tight, attempting to ignore the dizzy spell that came over him from sitting up so quickly.

_’Fuck off, body, I’m trying to comfort my Kenny.’_

“I swear to god I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I’ve never- I’ve never had that kind of reaction before.”  
“Before?” Kenny pulled back, cradling Kyles face in his hands. “Ky, whaddaya mean ‘before’?”  
“Ah… That’s, um, hard to explain.” Kyle looked down, avoiding eye contact. Explaining his childhood night terrors wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time. Explaining that his childhood night terrors were _back_ and getting worse? Yeah, he wasn’t a fan.  
Still, though… Kenny had been taking care of him. And he was worried out of his mind about him.  
Ugh.  
Fuck guilt.  
What a bitch.

“Okay, alright, listen, I- I had really bad night terrors as a kid,” he started, leaning back against the headboard so he could think more clearly.  
“I was in an accident. I don’t remember the details, honestly. Every time I try to bring the memories up, it’s like a shadow falls over my mind and things get really fuzzy. But I do remember that they started right after I got home from the hospital.”

“Every night, without fail, I would wake up, completely paralyzed. And there would be this shadow… creature, I guess, sittin’ nearby, watching me. The shadows were always different; some were massive, some were barely my height. Some had gaping holes like mouths, some had strange appendages - too many of ‘em. Some had… god, I don’t even know. Eyes, I think? Just… everywhere. All over ‘em. And some were just blank. Just dark shapes, looming over me. But every fuckin’ night, no matter what it looked like, it was there. Watchin’ me.” He closed his eyes, images of the creatures he saw imprinted on the backs of his lids. He shivered.  
“They were formless. I mean, I guess that don’t make much sense, considerin’ I just described heights and eyes and shit, but trust me. They had no _real_ form. They didn’t exist in our world. I could see them, but I fuckin’ knew they weren’t _there,_ y’know? Like, they were, but if someone else came in, they wouldn’t see them. I don’t remember what they wanted. I haven’t thought about it in a long time - but I knew they wanted something. I fuckin’ know they did.”

“After a while, a couple weeks or so, I figured out I could get them to go away. I could _push_ them away, with my mind - that’s how I found out about my abilities. I just closed my eyes and told them to go away. Forced them out, told them they weren’t welcome. And they left. After a few years, they stopped showing up altogether.”

Kyle rubbed at his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. When he turned to look at Kenny, he was startled to see that he looked... _horrified._  
“Geez, babe, I know it’s kinda scary, but-”  
“Kyley, baby, sweetie, you are literally seeing shadow demons. Yes, I’m a bit fuckin’ scared.”  
“Awe, aren’t you a comforting character.”  
“Kyle.”  
“No, yeah, you’re right. Not the time. My bad.” 

Silence fell between them, both lost in their own minds. Kyle considered telling him about _that one_ , the one that was the biggest threat to them both.  
But...  
How could he? It probably wasn’t even real - just a strange manifestation of Kyles worry about losing Kenny.  
There was no point in scaring him even more. This was one place where Kyle could stand to suffer alone.

“Kyle?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Promise you’ll wake me up next time this happens. Promise you’ll tell me about it.”  
“... Are you sure?”  
“Yeah.” He kissed the back of Kyles knuckles. “I’m positive.”  
“Okay,” Kyle whispered, watching Kenny with wide eyes. “I promise.”  
“Good.” He paused, then, snorting softly. “All that talk of shadow creatures almost made me forget. You feelin’ any better?”  
Kyle rolled his eyes, but grinned nonetheless. 

“Kinda. Still dizzy, still achin’ like hell. I am fuckin’ starvin’, though. We got anything to eat?”  
“Oh _do we._ Your main babe Bebe apparently freaked out when she found out you were sick, and she made a bunch of food for you. Said she made sure it was all stuff that would help you get better. You know how she is.”  
“Gotta love that kitchen witch, Ken. Her food may not taste good, but it does a damn good job of makin’ ya feel better.”  
“One day her food will be healing _and_ delicious. For now, we settle for healing and edible.” They shared a look, both smiling like idiots. When Kyles stomach grumbled, Kenny let out a loud laugh.  
“Damn, alright. You stay here, keep resting. I’ll grab you some grub.”  
“Awe, you really do love me, don’tcha, puddin’?”  
“Far, far too much, my dearest. So much so it brings me great pain to leave you, but I’m afraid I must. I shall return, I promise you.”  
With a loud, exaggerated smooch to the back of Kyles hand, and the most dramatic flourish he could manage, he turned and left the room.

“Fuckin’ nerd.” Kyle mumbled, trying to hide the blush and the lovesick smile on his face. He leaned back onto the pillows, arms crossed over his chest, and took slow, deep breaths. His head really was killing him, and the mixture of hunger and dizziness was making him nauseous. Still, he felt significantly better now than he did when he first woke. Part of it, he figured, was finally telling someone about the shadows. Getting something like that off his chest was… nice. Surprisingly so.

Maybe he would tell him about the big one. Maybe. For now, he really just wanted to eat and cuddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so weird. I don't know if I hate it or love it?? I wanted it to be longer but I like the ending as is so (':


End file.
